‘Terror’ boat row: Pakistan hits out at India, accuses it of being 'heinous in its face'

Islamabad, Feb 19: Pakistan has hit out at India over ‘terror' boat row.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday said that the claim by a Coast Guard official that a Pakistani boat was blown up by the force contradicted Indian government's statement.

"It has one again been proved that India has violated the international rules and disregarded the humanitarian considerations," he said on Wednesday, reacting to reports from India.

"It (India) not only imposed baseless and false allegations on Pakistan like in the case of Samjhauta Express, but was involved in treacherously killing four innocent lives on board. India has once again proved to be heinous in its face, designs and urge for peace," Asif alleged.

He reiterated that Pakistan's desire for peace and coexistence in the region must not be seen as its weakness.

A senior Coast Guard official on Wednesday raked controversy by had ordered blowing up an intruding Pakistani boat off Porbandar coast on new year eve, but later made a U-turn, saying he was misquoted.

However, the Indian Express uploaded the video of DIG BK Loshali in which he says that he ordered on December 31 night to "blow up that boat" "Let me tell you. I hope you remember 31st December night... We blew off that Pakistan... We have blown them off. I was there at Gandhinagar and I told at night, blow the boat off. We dont want to serve them biryani," he said at a function in Surat.

Defence Ministry and Minister Manohar Parrikar had said soon after the incident that the boat set itself on fire when its crew were asked to surrender.